They have stated that it is the responsibility of the Maharashtra government to provide adequate security to theatres and multiplexes which plan to screen the film on January 25 as scheduled.

Karni Sena held a rally against the release of Padmaavat film on Monday. The rally began at Shaniwarwada and ended at Collector’s office, Camp. Akhil Bharatiya Rajasthani Samaj Pune, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and Bajrang Dal were a part of the rally(HT PHOTO)

Even as 26 theatres in Pune have scheduled the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversial film ‘Padmaavat’, at least four multiplex operators have said they won’t bow down to the threats from Karni Sena and allied organisations.

They have stated that it is the responsibility of the Maharashtra government to provide adequate security to theatres and multiplexes which plan to screen the film on January 25 as scheduled.

“As of now we don’t plan to delay or cancel the release of the film. We don’t see any reason for doing so,” said Ankur Katpal, manager of Inox Theatre at Bund Garden on Monday.

Neerav Panchamia, director, E-Square multiplex, was firm in his stand that given the threats “from these miscreants of burning cinema halls,” it is the responsibility of the state government to control any such violence. He pointed out that cinema halls are public establishments and therefore, the government should provide enough security.

Roshan Sinha, manager, Cinepolis at Seasons Mall, said that they have the film’s premiere on January 24. “We don’t plan to delay the screening. People have been waiting to watch this film since a very long time,” he said, adding that there has been no communication from the senior management to cancel the release of the film.

Vijay Pardeshi, manager at Inox multiplex at Amanora Mall said that the film would be screened as per the scheduled date as there is no ban in the state. “We have multiple shows of the film on January 25,” he said.

On Saturday, the Pune unit of Karni Sena, Akhil Bhartiya Rajasthani Samaj (Pune) and a number of Hindutva organisations such as Bajrang Dal and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti held a press conference in Pune issuing a warning to multiplex and theatre owners against screening the film. “We reject the order given by the Supreme Court that the film should be released all over,” Yogendra Singh Katar, the Rajasthan-based national vice-president of Karni Sena said in an interview.